Destined to Die
by mrkenji
Summary: Ichigo's never really been able to forget his mom. For the sake of seeing her smile again, he'd do anything. Even if it means betraying his own ideals, or allying with a dangerous enemy Aizen. For his mom's smile,will he betray his friends?[IchiRuki]
1. Chapter 1

Ichigo has never really been able to forget his mom. It was all his fault, really. She shouldn't have died. Not her. It's all his fault that he can't see her smile anymore.

_It was never meant to be like this. As young Ichigo hugged his mom tightly, trying to shelter her against the freezing cold rain pelting against their bodies, he tried to wake her up. "Mommy, it's cold. Please wake up! You must feel very cold too, right? Let's go home. Daddy is waiting for us! Wake up, please! Mommy! Mommy!"_

_Actually, Ichigo knows. Deep down inside, he knew his mommy wasn't going to wake up. But perhaps if he tried a little harder, mommy might hear him and wake up. He shook his mom with as much strength as he could muster and shouted with all his might into her ear, calling out to her. If only mommy will open her eyes and smile. For her smile, Ichigo was willing to do anything. Anything at all._

_Bitter tears mixed with the rain as it fell onto the lifeless face of Ichigo's mother._

--

'Ichigo's crying in his sleep again.' Rukia thought as she listened through the closet door.

Every night, he'd have the same dream. Usually he hides all his emotions under a mask of nonchalance and acts all tough, but the dream he has every night haunts him and tears him up, breaking his mask apart. She had never seen Ichigo's face contorted in so much pain and sorrow, and Rukia feels quite helpless seeing his tortured expression. Ichigo hides everything in his heart and locks it up, and it was near impossible to broach the topic about his mother without getting an irritable glare and being told to shut up.

He tries so hard to lock everything away inside his heart and hide his sorrow from the others, that even in his sleep he would scrunch himself into a ball in an attempt to suppress his emotions.

Rukia really didn't know what to do, other than to hug him tightly when he has that horrible dream, and sing soothing lullabys until he returns to a peaceful state of mind in his sleep while holding her hand. She doesn't really mind sitting beside him the whole night holding his hand. She'd do anything to stop Ichigo's pain and see his smile of bliss.

The only problem is how to extract her hand from Ichigo's grip in the mornings before he wakes up and get back in her closet.

--

:D First chapter of my first story up! Review please!


	2. Chapter 2

Author's note: This story is based on the part after the Vaizard introduced himself to Ichigo. Anyway thanks for all those reviews! I really appreciate them very much. Thanks:D

--

It's that feeling again. That feeling of emptiness, which eats away slowly and painfully at your soul. Ichigo has always tried to forget and lock away this feeling by giving his biggest frown, but somehow it's always there, nibbling away at his heart's inner recesses.

Rukia jumped at the frown Ichigo just flashed her. She'd forgotten how ugly his face can turn whenever he frowns. Recently Ichigo seems to be feeling down – must be the lack of hollows for him to vent his frustrations on. Was there something wrong with her mobile phone? Perhaps she should pay Urahara a visit after school today…

"Kuchiki san."

Someone was waving a pencil in front of her face.

"Huh? Oh. Sorry, I was daydreaming. Is anything the matter?"

It was that new student again. She didn't really like the look on his face – he reminded her of some slimy snake waiting to pounce on his prey. Moreover, he seems to be the main cause of Ichigo's unhappiness and distress recently.

"Shall we go on a date after school today?"

Rukia thought that there were something wrong with her ears. There was a sudden great buzzing in the classroom and dark shadows fluttered towards her desk with the speed of light.

"Kuchiki san! Are you really going out on a date with that new guy?"

"Wow! Kuchiki san is being asked out on a date!"

"Aw man! I should have asked Kuchiki san out first!"

Rather puzzled by the amount of attention she was receiving, Rukia turned to Ichigo to ask him what was happening and what was a date, but Ichigo seemed not to notice the commotion that was happening in class right now. He was still staring out of the window.

Someone leaned close to Rukia and whispered, " If you want to help Ichigo, then accept the date. See you after school at the park playground." This was followed by a quick peck on Rukia's cheek. Rukia didn't have the time to react – the class had erupted into screaming and catcalls and some overenthusiastic boys had lifted the new student away, cheering him for his daring act, celebrating. The rest of the class crowded around Rukia and started bombarding her with weird questions, which she didn't really know how to answer.

Normally Rukia would have kicked that guy in the face and thrown him out the window, but this time was an exception, therefore the class's huge reaction. However, it wasn't really because Rukia _liked_ that new student, but that Rukia was confused and worried for Ichigo. Can that new student really help Ichigo? Rukia's mind was in a mess, and she couldn't think straight. Something was wrong with her. Probably she didn't get enough sleep the previous few days due to Ichigo's frequent nightmares. She really should go meet that new student right now. Oblivious to her chaotic surroundings, Rukia picked up her bag and elbowed her way out of the crowd, heading for the park playground.

Ichigo turned around, annoyed by the noise being made. _The entire class was crowding around someone…Oh. Rukia_. _Did she do something highly entertaining again_? Ichigo wondered idly as he started moving towards Rukia's table. To his surprise, Rukia pushed her way out of the crowd just as he reached the edge of the clamouring students and elbowed him rather painfully in the stomach, pushing him to the ground before rushing to the classroom door.

Ichigo stared at Rukia's retreating back in astonishment. What in the world is happening? Why is Rukia rushing off halfway during school hours without telling him the reason?

As Rukia made a mad dash for the classroom door, nobody noticed the odd snake-like tattoo which had appeared on the back of her hand.

--

How's Chapter 2?:D


	3. Chapter 3

Author's note: Chapter 3! Contains abit of a spoiler for the anime Episode 114 onwards. I've already said in the previous chapter that this is based on the part after Vaizard speaks to Ichigo, and now it's plus the part where Ulquiorra and Yami had already gone to the Living World and fought with Ichigo and company, but Hitsugaya's team hasn't appeared yet. Also, I've tried to make my chapters longer! Hope it's better. :)

--

Rukia could only vaguely recall what happened after she left the school to meet that new student. She couldn't fathom what was going on, her mind was still in a mess. It felt like someone has been in her brain, read all her memories and added something in. Rukia remembered meeting that new student in the park, but somehow her memories ended there. There had been a soft glow from the tattoo on her right hand…Hang on. When did she get that tattoo?

"I see you have awaken."

Rukia whirled around in a mixture of shock and fear as she searched for the owner of that unfamiliar voice. It was bad enough waking up in a strange room – the room was all white, with nothing in it other than the bed she was lying on and a vase of flowers sitting prettily on the floor. There were no windows, yet the room seemed brightly illuminated as if it was day. There seemed to be no ceilings, and there were no doors. Therefore, the sudden appearance of a person was of great surprise to Rukia. Had he been there all along?

A man clothed in all white stood in front of her. For one second, Rukia thought she'd gone to heaven, and she was seeing an angel. But somehow the person standing there didn't look much like an angel, although his emerald eyes were rather handsome. Then, she realized who that person was.

_An Arrancar._

Before Rukia had the time to react, though, the arrancar spoke.

"You can call me Ulquiorra. If you were wondering where are you, this place is Hueco Mundo. Congratulations for making it here in one piece. "

"Huh?" What in the world is happening? An Arrancar being friendly to a shinigami? She was in Hueco Mundo? There's too much to absorb and too little time to understand.

"Do not worry. Aizen sama will help you to become an Arrancar soon. Your wish will be granted to save Kurosaki Ichigo."

"Wait…When did I say I wanted to become an Arrancar?"

"You wished to save Kurosaki Ichigo, did you not?"

"Yes. But…"

"Then you have to become an Arrancar. If you don't understand, don't ask."

With that, Ulquiorra vanished. Rukia blinked at the spot where he was in astonishment.

"Yo."

Oh no. Not another Arrancar again. She felt confused enough without them performing their disappearing acts and then bombarding her with bizarre information. She turned to the other side of her bed and saw… The new student.

"Nice place here. Quiet, peaceful."

He's got the nerve to be commenting on her surroundings when he's the cause of all these confusion. Rukia stifled an urge to pick up the bed and throw it at him. No point destroying her only furniture in the room over an idiot like him. Besides, she wanted to know what was happening.

"What's going on? Why have you brought me here? Most importantly, why am I being turned into an Arrancar? Who are you?"

"Whoa. That's a lot of questions. Ok, I'll answer them one by one. I'm a Vaizard. The Vaizards are currently allying with the Arrancars for a certain reason, and you're a crucial factor in our plans. Because your current powers are too weak, Aizen sama has kindly consented to helping you by turning you into an Arrancar so that you'll have a higher chance of living for a longer period of time…"

The new student didn't get to finish his sentence. The bed went flying and crashed against some invisible wall, splintering into many pieces. _That blow should have knocked idiot out_. Rukia was fuming. She wasn't interested in becoming an Arrancar, and she was definitely not going to help that traitor (Aizen) do anything. _Damn, how does a person get out of this place?_

"If you really want to help Kurosaki kun, you should cooperate with us."

_Aww shoot. I missed the target. _"Yah, right. As if I'll believe your lame excuses."

Rukia felt a little smug to see that her aim wasn't that bad afterall. The Vaizard was bleeding from a cut on the side of his head as he tried to untangle himself from the wreckage of the bed.

"Haven't you noticed? Kurosaki's been upset recently hasn't he? Don't you ever wonder why?"

_True. But it still doesn't quite make sense. What has all these got to do with Ichigo?_

"It's that Hollow in him. We need your help to counter that Hollow and tame him, but you're too weak with your current strength."

"So the only option left for me is to become an Arrancar?"

"Yes. You don't have much time to consider. Our plan is already going into action as we speak. In fact, you don't have much of a choice."

A bell tinkled somewhere in the room.

"I gotta go. Think about it. This is about saving Ichigo."

Rukia felt completely overwhelmed by this influx of information. She salvaged her blanket from what was left of her bed and draped it around her shoulders.

_Arrancar, Vaizard, Ichigo._

She didn't know what to do.

--

Haha I actually forgot the Vaizard's name. Anyone knows?


End file.
